Abstract

This dissertation develops a Natural History of the socio-moral aspects of ethics. It is argued that all ethical theories presuppose some conception of human nature and that the best account of human nature is provided by Darwinian evolutionary theory. It is then argued that applying Darwinian evolution to ethics is essential to producing any ethics which is empirical and naturalistic. ;Morality is here conceived of as essentially a social phenomenon whose function is to make possible successful social interactions. It is assumed that Natural Selection is transitive and will select for those things which are necessary for the existence of things which are necessary for fitness. A paleo-anthropological model of the evolution of human beings is presented to show the necessity of society for human fitness, thereby showing that morality will be selected for, given that it is necessary for society. Models of how cooperative, socio-moral behavior could evolve are examined and it is argued that the existence of social instincts, particularly instinctive sympathy, are needed for the evolution of such behavior. The evolution of such social instincts is then examined. ;It is then argued that innate moral sympathy is limited and needs to be extended through moral reasoning as represented by the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule, in various formulations, is a ubiquitous moral principle in the common moralities of humankind. It is argued that it is the rational principle that functionally achieves the ends of sympathy and thus is sympathy's natural extension. Golden Rule reasoning is shaped and channeled by the naturally selected capacity for Normative Generalization basic to every living creature acting upon commonly shared human values and norms, such as well-being and self-respect. It is argued that such shared values and norms are evolved psychological qualities and types of behavior that enhance human fitness. When these values and norms are generalized from self to others Golden Rule principles naturally result. In this way the existence of Golden Rule principles, upon which systems of social morality depend, is explained as an inevitable product of human evolution.